Stadium security

Canon Solutions America, a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., hosted a special event at MetLife Stadium in New York on August 22 as an extension of its Security Roadshow program. Linking business leaders to subject matter experts in all facets of security, this event set out to provide insight into a comprehensive process – one that comprises strategies and technologies to help businesses develop a more proactive, in-depth approach to the many types of security risks they face. Multi-Dimensional approach This layered security approach encompasses device security, print security, and document security Experts from Canon Solutions America and several of its vendor partners took attendees on a journey through real world demonstrations of Canon Solutions America’s Five Pillars of Security. This layered security approach encompasses device security, print security, document security, information security, and cybersecurity, outlining a business model that can be easily and efficiently implemented. "There is no simple solution to cybersecurity. It takes the multi-dimensional approach that Canon Solutions America has set out in its 5 Pillars of Security and security professionals coming together as a community—as we have done today—to share ideas, knowledge, and experience," said Rob Sloan, Research Director at The Wall Street Journal's WSJ Pro. Improving network security Security solutions from Canon Solutions America partners Therefore, Barracuda, Vera, and Agile Cybersecurity Solutions (ACS) were showcased in presentations. A lively question-and-answer session followed, with speakers providing an open, interactive forum that allowed for a deeper dive into the topics of the day.   “It was great to meet with peers and learn more about what other businesses are facing,” said Adam Rabe, IT Support for Langan. “I gained new insight into how to improve network security and ensure against threats. Thanks, Canon Solutions America, for bringing to light these opportunities.” In addition to the engaging presentations and opportunities to interact face-to-face with security experts, guests enjoyed a guided tour of MetLife Stadium and had the opportunity to meet Wayne Chrebet, former wide receiver who played 11 seasons for the New York Jets. Employing nimble strategies Canon Solutions America’s parent company, recently announced a new collaboration with McAfee With a long career avoiding, outmaneuvring, or simply outrunning obstacles, Chrebet was a perfect fit to show how being aware of potential threats in your environment, and employing nimble strategies along with teamwork, will help you come out a winner. Further illustrating the company’s commitment to security, Canon U.S.A., Inc., Canon Solutions America’s parent company, recently announced a new collaboration with McAfee, the device-to-cloud cybersecurity company. The companies have joined forces to provide enhanced embedded protection against malware execution and tampering of firmware and applications for a sometimes-overlooked endpoint—multifunction printers (MFPs). Standard security feature Through the partnership, Canon customers will now receive McAfee® Embedded Control as an additional standard security feature on third generation imageRUNNER ADVANCE 3rd edition MFPs once enabled. Peter Kowalczuk, President of Canon Solutions America, said, “Security is a serious concern in today’s connected world, and it affects us all. We at Canon Solutions America are committed to working closely with our customers to help them protect their businesses, their intellectual property, and the data of their employees and customers. Technology advances quickly and cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated. We are here to help guide organizations through these challenges.”

Delta Scientific, the manufacturer of counter-terrorist vehicle control systems used in the United States and internationally, announced that its new patented crash rated TB150 portable bollard system lets law enforcement and other security providers promptly block access to temporary venues where vehicles can be used as weapons against large numbers of pedestrians. Individual portable bollards provide vehicle barricades in applications such as heavily traveled walkways and roadways or any area that a vehicle can get through. They can also be used as substitutes until permanent bollard systems get installed. Capable of stopping 15,000 pound vehicle Certified testing demonstrates that a TB150 portable bollard will stop and disable a 15,000 pound vehicle traveling at 50 mphTen TB150 portable bollards can be linked together with a cable system and placed on a road's surface to create immediate protection for a span of 40 feet (12.2 m). No other installation procedures, excavations or sub-surface preparations are required. Certified testing demonstrates that a TB150 portable bollard will stop and disable a 15,000 pound (6,804 kg) vehicle traveling at 50 mph (80.4 kph), resulting in an ASTM M50, P3 rating. "Being able to stop a massive, high speed attack vehicle is imperative to protecting crowds enjoying venues such as malls, theme parks and public fairs," emphasizes David Dickinson, president of Delta Scientific. "The TB150 marks a new standard in crowd protection containing and stopping 1.2 million foot pounds of attacking truck. The portable bollard array requires no foundation or site preparation and can be used for permanent or temporary vehicle control. The bollards can be set up on any stable surface such as concrete, asphalt, compacted soil or vegetation." Protecting people and critical infrastructures The combination of the portable barriers with the new portable bollards provides fast controlled vehicle accessAccording to Dickinson, the TB150 temporary bollards can be used to close off streets, entrances or wide expanses such as access to pedestrian areas or even airport runways. They can be installed in conjunction with Delta's popular MP5000 portable barricade to fill in any gaps to protect people and critical infrastructures at public events such as parades, festivals, sporting weekends and any place that vehicles could attack transitory events. The combination of the portable barriers with the new portable bollards provides fast controlled vehicle access without the time and labor of installation. "From a purchasing standpoint, it can be easier to buy portable bollards and barricades than permanent solutions," adds Dickinson. "The latter are oftentimes placed into an organization's real assets budget because they are permanently installed into the ground, becoming a part of the property. Such budgets can often create complex purchasing scenarios for law enforcement or public safety departments. However, purchasing portable bollards and barricades is no different than buying protective vests for personnel or new sets of wrenches for the maintenance department."

Qualitest, the independent software testing and quality assurance company, opens its new headquarters in Central London following a period of worldwide growth. Serving as a central location with easy access to Qualitest’s US, Israel, India and Romanian offices, London is also a base for prominent existing clients as well as a wide array of companies seen as prospective clients. The new office, based close to Liverpool Street station, brings together employees located across greater London. Cyber security sectors Qualitest is expected to more than double the number of quality engineers in the UK over the next three years Following an injection of capital resulting from Bridgepoint’s taking of a majority stake in Qualitest, the company is expected to accelerate its acquisition strategy and global expansion. Having recently signed new contracts with companies across the telecommunications, insurance, banking, government and cyber security sectors in the last few months – Qualitest is expected to more than double the number of quality engineers in the UK over the next three years. The London headquarters is expected to be a hub for Qualitest’s EMEA expansion with the expectation of significant growth in terms of clients, headcount and revenue. The new office has been designed to facilitate collaborative conversation between teams, with breakout spaces, an auditorium, spacious meeting rooms and an open plan kitchen. Software testing market Norm Merritt, CEO at Qualitest said: “Having a state-of-the-art global headquarters is a significant step for Qualitest as we continue to expand our global base. London remains a global hotspot for technology and innovation, and we look forward to the new possibilities it will bring.” Brian Shea, Managing Director for UK and Europe at Qualitest said, “Qualitest’s capabilities are London’s best kept QA secret. Moving the headquarters to London begins an exciting phase of development for our corporate and EMEA teams. Capitalizing on the traction of our recent client wins, we expect to create hundreds of new jobs in the software testing market, and advance London as a central hub for Quality Engineering on the world’s stage.”

GET Group North America,  an innovative developer of mobile ID technology with over 20 years of experience in identity management, announced that its GET Mobile ID Digital Identity Solution for iOS can support near-field communication (NFC) for identity transactions at Point of Sale (POS), airports, and even kiosks. GET Mobile ID for Android already supports NFC identity transactions. GET Group NA and global partner Scytáles AB, innovative developers of mobile ID technology, are the first to extend the new ISO 18013-5 standard so that iOS devices can also use NFC for data transmission, or allow NFC tap followed by either local or online data transfer, all under citizen control. Protecting citizen privacy We are proud to be participating in the development of the ISO 18013-5 standard, together with Scytáles AB"“Supporting NFC for both iOS and Android devices is critical to developing a variety of more secure and convenient retail, payment, and ID verification use cases for mobile driver’s licenses and other forms of mobile ID,” said David Kelts, Director of Product Development, Mobile Identity, GET Group North America. “We are proud to be participating in the development of the ISO 18013-5 standard, together with Scytáles AB, and committed to ensuring our technology will protect citizen privacy and meet specifications for secure interoperability on all mobile device operating systems.” David Kelts will be participating on the Secure Technology Alliance's Industry Panel Review of Retail Use Cases of mDLs on July 16th at the Atlanta Airport Marriott Hotel as part of the ‘Mobile Driver’s Licenses for Retail Use’ workshop. From 2:00-2:45, this industry panel will feature mDL solution providers discussing their approaches, functionalities, and the use cases important for MDLs to succeed in retail identity transactions. ISO 18013-5-Compliant identity transactions ISO 18013-5, which is expected to be published later this year, is the international standard that specifies the technical and interoperability requirements for mobile driver’s licenses (mDL). GET Group NA and Scytáles AB are ready to enable ISO 18013-5-compliant identity transactions between both iOS and Android devices and POS terminals already used today for payments. This will broaden the possibilities for retail, payment and ID verification use cases of mDLs, such as: Age-based purchases where both age-verification and payment information can be transmitted in the same tap of a mobile device; “Tap & Go” identity transactions at stadiums, federal buildings, airports, etc.; Electronic identity and address verification for check cashing.

DITEK, the quality standard in commercial surge protection, announces the launch of the DTK-HDMI family of compact HDMI surge protectors designed for professional use. These rugged single- and dual-channel units combine state-of-the-art circuit technology with tough powder-coated aluminum housings to provide robust surge protection that is ideal for commercial multi-screen installations. The units are compatible with the latest high-definition formats, including HDMI 2.0a, HDCP 2.2, and 4K UHD. Supports latest video protocols “Multi-screen installations such as those found in hotels, sports venues, restaurants, and bars depend on their AV systems to attract and entertain their customers,” said Jason Klein, National Sales Manager, DITEK. “These professional installations deserve professional-grade protection. Our new HDMI protectors support the latest video protocols, are housed in a rugged protective housing, and are backed by a limited 10-year warranty.” Two versions are available: DTK-HDMI1 is a single-channel surge protector, and DTK-HDMI2 is a 2-channel surge protector. Both versions use the same advanced design to provide protection while supporting the latest high definition video formats. Both versions include a convenient, versatile mounting bracket and are made in the USA.

RealNetworks, Inc., global provider of digital media software and services, has announced SAFR for Security, a new solution that integrates SAFR, the world’s premier facial recognition platform for live video, with leading video management systems (VMS) to provide enhanced visibility and situational awareness for security professionals. Announced at ISC West in Las Vegas, SAFR for Security is immediately available for worldwide deployment. SAFR For Security Heads of security at hospitals, stadiums, corporate campuses, airports, and other enterprises must maintain high awareness over large areas via a growing number of security cameras. To know whether a familiar person, employee, VIP, perceived threat, concern, or stranger is onsite, security professionals must rely on their ability to focus on key details and then make accurate assessments. SAFR for Security makes it simple to maintain higher security in public and restricted areas in our facility" “It’s been a challenge to maintain awareness of who is present at Shelby American, whether those are specific individuals of concern or aggregate demographics of museum visitors,” said Richard Sparkman, Director of Technology, Fleet & Facilities at Shelby American car museum in Las Vegas. “SAFR for Security makes it simple to maintain higher security in public and restricted areas in our facility and helps us understand who is moving through our museum by age, gender, and time of day – allowing us to better tailor our museum experience." 24/7 Video Monitoring Available as a standalone solution or integrated with market-leading video management systems, SAFR for Security provides vigilant 24/7 monitoring to detect and match millions of faces in real time, delivering a 99.86 percent accuracy rate. In the April 2019 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) test results, the SAFR algorithm tested as both the fastest and most compact amongst algorithms for wild images with less than 0.025 FNMR. When SAFR for Security is paired with a VMS, the integrated experience includes video overlays within the VMS to identify strangers, threats, concerns, unrecognized persons, VIPs, employees, or other tagged individuals in live video. Security teams can customize real-time alerts to automatically notify them when persons of interest appear on a video camera feed or make use of automated bookmarking to conduct forensic analysis. SAFR for Security attaches rich metadata to video footage so security professionals can search by time range, location, category, person type, and registered individual instead of sifting through hours of video to find a specific person. All data passed through SAFR is protected with AES 256 encryption in transit and at rest “Security professionals are inundated with hours of raw footage, much of which must be evaluated in real time by a limited number of human eyes,” said Dan Grimm, Vice President and General Manager of Computer Vision at RealNetworks. “SAFR for Security helps these professionals maintain higher awareness by combining our highly accurate AI-based facial recognition service with the software they currently use.” Facial Recognition Systems The underlying SAFR platform has been optimized to detect and recognize faces in live video based on its industry-leading excellence in accuracy and performance. The SAFR platform can be deployed on a single PC to monitor a handful of IP cameras or scaled to thousands of cameras in a distributed architecture hosted on-premises, in the cloud, or hybrid. All data passed through SAFR is protected with AES 256 encryption in transit and at rest. The platform also provides actionable data for live analytics of traffic volumes, demographic composition, dwell times, and data exports for further reporting. “We’re delighted to partner with RealNetworks to extend our intelligent IP video system with SAFR for Security’s highly accurate facial recognition,” said Thomas Lausten, CEO, MOBOTIX AG. “The combination of SAFR and our innovative camera technologies opens up a new set of applications and use cases for MOBOTIX customers around the world, especially in retail, healthcare and education.”

Facial recognition has a long history dating back to the 1800s. To track down criminals, such as infamous bandits Jesse Woodson James and Billy the Kid, law enforcement would place “Wanted Alive or Dead” posters advertising bounties and soliciting public cooperation to help locate and even apprehend the alleged criminals. In addition to the bounty, these posters would include a photo and brief description of the crime, which would then be circulated to law enforcement agencies around the country and displayed in every US Post Office to speed up apprehension. Facial Recognition Advancements in artificial intelligence and biometric technology have led to the widespread use of computerised facial recognitionToday, technology such as social media, television and other more specialized communication networks play a more influential role in the recognition process. Advancements in artificial intelligence and biometric technology, including the development of Machine Learning capabilities, have led to increased accuracy, accessibility and the widespread use of computerized facial recognition. The significance of this means that facial recognition can occur on an even larger scale and in more challenging environments. This article will explore key milestones and technological advances that have resulted in the modern incarnation of facial recognition, before discussing the capabilities of cutting-edge “one-to-many” technology which is increasingly being used by counter-terror defense, police and security forces around the world. Technology Inception And Developments The technology was able to match 40 faces an hour, which was considered very impressive at the time The 1960s marked the start of computerized facial recognition, when Woodrow Wilson (Woody) Bledsoe developed a way to classify faces using gridlines. Bledsoe’s facial recognition still required a large amount of human involvement because a person had to extract the co-ordinates of the face’s features from a photograph and enter this information into a computer. The technology was able to match 40 faces an hour (each face took approximately 90 seconds to be matched) which was considered very impressive at the time. By the end of the 1960s, facial recognition had seen further development at the Stanford Research Institute where the technology proved to outperform humans in terms of accuracy of recognition (humans are notoriously bad at recognizing people they don’t know). By the end of the century, the leading player in the field was a solution that came out of the University of Bochum in Germany – and the accuracy of this technology was such that it was even sold on to bank and airport customers. From this stage on, the facial recognition market began to blossom, with error rates of automatic facial recognition systems decreasing by a factor of 272 from 1993 to 2010 according to US Government-sponsored evaluations. The aim for facial technology is to achieve successful and accurate recognition on commonly available hardware like live CCTV feeds and standard computing hardware Modern Usage Of Facial Recognition Fast-forward to the modern day and facial recognition has become a familiar technology when using applications such as the iPhone X’s Face ID capability or MasterCard Identity Check, passport e-gates at airports and other security and access control points. These solutions implement a consensual form of identity verification, as the user has a vested interest in being identified. This is a “one-to-one” facial recognition event, one person in front of the camera being compared to one identity either on a passport or the app. In these scenarios, the hardware is specifically developed for the application at hand, therefore technically much easier to accomplish. Facial recognition can now be used in a variety of governmental and commercial environments The safety and security world brings a much more complex problem to solve – how to pick out a face in a moving and changing environment and compare it to several faces of interest. “One-to-many” facial recognition is a much harder problem to solve. It’s even more challenging when the aim is to achieve successful and accurate recognition on commonly available hardware like live CCTV feeds and standard computing hardware. And unlike in the 1960’s where identifying a face every 90 seconds was acceptable; the safety and security market requires near instant feedback on who a person matched against a watchlist is. Security And Safety Applications The idea behind all facial recognition technologies is broadly the same: you start with an image of a person’s face (ideally a high quality one, although machine learning means that to a point we can now even use video without reducing accuracy). A fully front facing image is best, think a passport photo, but machine learning and new software has made this more flexible. An algorithm converts this image into a numeric template, which cannot be converted back to an image and so represents a secure one way system. Every numeric template is different, even if it started out as an image of the same person, although templates from the same person are more similar than templates from different people. The accuracy of facial recognition continues to increase alongside deployments in more challenging and complex environments What happens next sounds simple although the technology is extremely complex: templates of people’s faces are taken in real time and compared to those in the database. The technology identifies individuals by matching the numeric template of their face with all the templates saved in a database in a matter of seconds or milliseconds. To put this into perspective, imagine you are at the turnstiles of a busy train station looking for a person on the run. Today’s facial recognition technology would be able to identify that person should they pass in view of a CCTV camera, as well as notify the police of any additional persons of interest, whether they are a known terrorist or missing vulnerable person on an entirely separate watch list. Because of technical progression, facial recognition can now be used in a variety of governmental and commercial environments, from identifying barred hooligans attempting entry at a football stadium or helping self-excluded gamblers at casino to overcome addiction. Real-Time Assessments The latest evolution of facial recognition pits the technology against an even more challenging application – directly matching individuals from body worn cameras for real time recognition for police officers on the beat. This capability equips first responders with the ability to detect a person from a photo and verify their identity with assurance. The broader implication for this means that every interaction, such as stop and search or arrest, can be supported by real-time facial recognition which will see cases of mistaken identity driven down on the streets. First responders can now for the first time be deployed and furnished with the ability to identify wider groups of people of interest with a degree of accuracy that previously relied only on the fallible human memory. As the accuracy of the technology continues to increase alongside deployments in more challenging and complex environments, its ability to support government initiatives and law enforcement means the debate about the lawful and appropriate use of facial recognition must be addressed. Facial recognition should not be everywhere looking for everyone, but when used properly it has the potential to improve public safety and we should make the most of its potential.

Live events at large venues like arenas, stadiums or convention halls – whether they involve wrestlers breaking chairs over each other’s heads, Axl and Slash letting bygones be bygones and reuniting Guns ‘n’ Roses, your favorite NFL team annihilating the opposition 62-3, or a convention involving anything from politics to food to Star Trek – are exciting affairs that channel the camaraderie of the crowd into a powerful collective energy. But they also are vulnerable to threats. Physical Security Solutions Terrorists and other malefactors have known for centuries that any large gathering of people has inherent vulnerabilities on which they can prey: Crowds make it hard for security to keep track of any single person or spot unusual behavior, and the number of people congregated in one space amplifies the impact of any attack. In recent years, organizers of large events have augmented the security methods they use to protect a venue, using both walk-through metal detectors and hand wands, and deploying K9 and police units to patrol the lines to enter security. But these current methods share a universal flaw: to be caught, evil-doers have to be on the verge of actually entering the venue with hundreds of other people, which means they can still cause a massive amount of destruction. In a survey conducted by Brivo, 50 percent of business security leaders felt they lack adequate budget and financial resources to invest in physical security solutions. Augmented Security Measures Organisers of large events have augmented the security methods they use to protect a venue, using both walk-through metal detectors and hand wands Security professionals and event organizers are constantly on the verge of finding new methods to implement in order to add an extra layer of security at venues and large facilities. For example, at this year’s Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California, which attracts over 100,000 attendees each year, organizers boosted their security initiatives by adding drones, armed guards, magnetometers and dog patrols. Unfortunately, large entertainment festivals have been a target for ill-intended individuals. Last year, the 91 Route Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada took the lives of more than 50 people and injured over 500. In the United Kingdom, 22 people lost their lives to a suicide bomber at an Arianna Grande concert in the Manchester Arena. Yet, concerts aren’t the only place new security initiatives and technology need to be implemented in, but also sports arena and large facilities. Metrasens partnered with Villa Park, the football grounds for Aston Villa Football Club in the UK, to conduct a trial using FMDS technology, Proscreen 900, to screen fans Current Screening Methods Conventional walk-through metal detectors are a compromise between effective screening and high throughput, as they successfully detect metal objects, but only can screen about five or six people each minute. They are generally placed 10 to 20 yards from a venue’s front façade, either just outside or just inside, to screen people as they enter the facility. Hand wands are used for anyone that sets off the walk-through detector as a secondary screening method for confirmation. Many facilities also use observational methods to screen, such as drones, surveillance cameras, security officers or police walking the crowd and looking for suspicious behavior, or explosives-sniffing K9 units patrolling the area. Security personnel are aware of these pre-security-screening vulnerabilities around the perimeter of the venue Security Method Limitations Each of these methods has intrinsic limitations. Observational security methods are just that – observation-based, not detection-based. They rely much more heavily on human factors that introduce greater degrees of error and chance, and positive visual identification of a suspicious threat requires a relatively close proximity to observe the threat. They’re also slow and laborious. Walk-through detectors and wands will catch someone trying to enter a facility with a weapon, but by the time they do, it may be too late – a terrorist will already be well within proximity to do a lot of damage. Bad guys don’t need to actually enter the venue; they just need to get close enough to injure or kill a large number of people. That can happen – and has happened, such as with Manchester Arena bombing in 2017 – right at the security point, where a terrorist will be surrounded by dozens or hundreds of people and 10 to 20 yards away from the critical asset: the interior of the venue. Security personnel are aware of these pre-security-screening vulnerabilities around the perimeter of the venue. What they haven’t had until recently is a way to screen mass amounts of people for weapons of mass casualty as far away from the critical asset as they can, and as far away from densely populated areas as they can, all while not impeding throughput resulting from the requirement for patrons to divest their possessions. Expanding Security Reach With FMDS The far perimeter of a venue is an ideal place to screen for weapons of mass casualty. Most of the time, a terrorist is trying to get closer to the immediate perimeter of the venue, to inflict the most damage to large groups of people waiting to get in; farther away, event attendees are walking toward the entrance and thus are more dispersed, not standing in clusters or lines. This advance screening is possible using ferromagnetic detection systems (FMDS). The FMDS systems in the trial, Proscreen 900, were placed outside, where individuals were screened for large weapons before they even entered the football stadium Metrasens recently partnered with a football stadium in Birmingham, UK to conduct a trial using FMDS technology to screen fans. The trial took place in March at Villa Park, the football grounds for Aston Villa Football Club. The stadium can hold over 42,000 people. The FMDS systems in the trial, Proscreen 900, were placed outside, where individuals were screened for large weapons before they even entered the football stadium, adding an extra layer of security. FMDS is highly accurate – there is no false alarm rate, because it is programmed to find only what security personnel need to find In the most basic terms, FMDS uses passive sensors that evaluate disturbances in the earth’s magnetic field made by something magnetic moving through its detection zone. Everything else is invisible to it; it doesn’t see people, clothing, backpacks, purses, etc. Nothing can be used to shield the threat, because FMDS doesn’t detect metallic mass; it detects a magnetic signature, down to a millionth of the earth’s magnetic field. It is also highly accurate – there is no false alarm rate, because it is programmed to find only what security personnel need to find (e.g., a weapon). Although it is a passive technology, it is more effective and reliable than using observational security methods to screen a perimeter, because the technology will never miss something the way a human would. Recognizing Moving Magnetic Signatures An important point is that the system only works on moving objects. This makes it immune to environmental conflicts such as rebar that would trip up conventional metal detectors and allowing people to be screened quickly and unobtrusively without stopping to divest their possessions as they walk toward a venue – up to 50 or 60 people a minute. FMDS does not need people to be organized into lines or groups; it simply detects a magnetic signature on anything that passes. It runs on batteries – there is no need for an electricity source, as with a walk-through detector – and can be placed on just about any form factor (a pole, a stand, etc.). This gives security personnel flexibility when deploying FMDS, allowing them to create a wide perimeter around a venue without worrying about portability or a power source. Screening can be as obvious or as concealed as personnel prefer for a particular situation, based on the form factor they select. FMDS simply gives the opportunity to add a layer of security where there currently is not an effective solution All of these combine into a solution that creates a way to close a gap in mass screenings at large events, by expanding the secure perimeter and creating a highly accurate way to detect weapons of mass casualty farther away from a critical asset and large crowds. It does not replace screening for smaller items necessarily, and all large venues should use a layered security solution that also deploys tactics like roving security guards, walk-through metal detectors and hand wands. FMDS simply gives the opportunity to add a layer of security where there currently is not an effective solution. Effective Mass Screening Solution Pessimists sometimes muse the world is getting more dangerous with each passing year, and that technology is at least partially responsible for both the breadth and depth of the increasingly creative ways bad guys harm people. But some technologies also are responsible for helping to fight against those threats and make the world safer, and FMDS is one of those. By providing a foolproof method of detecting weapons of mass casualty before terrorists get too close to an event venue, FMDS gives event security personnel a way to better protect large events, making them less dangerous and keeping people safe. Images source: Metrasens

Atlanta’s new $1.5 billion stadium, home to the NFL Atlanta Falcons football team and MLS Atlanta United soccer club and site of the recent NCAA national college football championship, is protecting fans, personnel and athletes from terrorists and errant drivers from using vehicles as weapons. While the threat of terrorists planning to attack soft targets, such as stadiums increases, stadium security professionals, such as those at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium, must look for the weak points throughout their facilities to determine where fanatics are most likely assailing. Taking their cue from hard target attacks, they and other stadium management understand that the use of vehicles, either to carry the people that will carry out the attack or act as the bomb itself, is a very real threat. New System, Safer Pedestrians Installed by Tusco, using Delta Scientific perimeter protection products, the new access system includes four DSC501 barriers, five DSC720 bollards, 39 DSC2000 barriers and 59 DSC680 fixed bollards. “We are very experienced with installing Delta equipment,” relates Brent Martina, President of Tusco. “Mercedes-Benz Stadium was very particular about their security needs and protocols and requested a customized sequence of operations for their security equipment. While the threat of terrorists planning to attack soft targets increases, stadium security professionals must look for the weak points throughout their facilities “Delta Scientific’s products and experienced engineers made them the obvious choice in meeting both the high quality and technical standards required to integrate with the stadium’s sophisticated security system. It was crucial to have a reliable team in place as we received a very compressed schedule to get everything complete by the first football game and, therefore, had no room for errors.” Because of long, straight approaches to some access points, stadiums oftentimes need to deploy high performance barriers. DSC501 barriers were used at main entrances where players and VIPs, among others, enter with their cars. Preventing Attacks Before They Happen The DSC501 is the only K54-certified retractable vehicle barricade in the world. Set in a foundation only 18 inches deep, it will survive and operate after a 5.4-million-foot pound impact. That’s equivalent to a 65,000-pound truck hitting it at 50 mph. Stopping the truck or car dead in its tracks, the DSC501 protects against a “second hit” risk from a second vehicle. The stadium preferred installing these barricades in a more industrial look, wanting them to be “seen.” Five retractable DSC720 bollards were used at the pedestrian entry areas. This is Delta’s highest crash rated bollard, stopping a 15,000-pound vehicle at 50 mph. The bollard will stop and destroy much larger vehicles than those tested at very high velocities. The DSC720 is 35 inches tall and 15 inches wide. At Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the bollards feature brushed stainless-steel sleeves. Oftentimes, the ground below the access points are filled with cables, wires, pipes and other infrastructure products. As a result, typical, below ground installed traffic bollards, barriers and barricades cannot be used because these infrastructure products are too close to the surface. The solution is to use surface-mounted and shallow foundation barricades and barriers. This isn’t the only stadium using Delta equipment to protect staff and attendees from vehicle harm - Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco is a well-known user Delivery Entrances Are Weaknesses At the same time, for some reason, delivery entrances never seem to be as secured as the main entrances to the stadium. With delivery vehicles coming and going, delivery entrances need a solution that lets delivery vehicles enter and exit but stop unauthorized vehicles from entering at all. At the loading docks, 39 of Delta’s fastest, smallest and shallowest foundation barricades were implemented. Chosen especially for high speed applications and ease of installation, the cost effective DSC2000 barrier is K12 crash-certified with no penetration, meaning it will stop a 15,000-pound vehicle traveling 50 mph dead in its tracks. The ten-inch shallow foundation also reduces installation complexity, time, materials and corresponding costs. Lastly, 50 DSC680 shallow foundation fixed bollards with stainless steel sleeves protect pedestrian areas. They secure any unprotected locations where vehicle bombers and errant drivers have no obstacles. Versus cement barriers such as posts and pots, many organisations prefer fixed-post bollards for several reasons. Terrorists typically don't go where they see barricades, so placing them wherever possible attacks can happen reduces security risks dramatically That’s because, when hit, cement posts and pots can explode, literally spreading shrapnel throughout the crowd, potentially creating numerous injuries. Shallow foundation bollards can be installed within sidewalks or on top of concrete deck truss bridges as well as conform to the inclines and turns of a locale. They also meet the 1-meter clearance regulations mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The fixed bollard, which does not go up and down, provides a significant blocking device solution that continues to challenge security directors faced with threats such as stopping a vehicle from ploughing into the stadium’s inner perimeter. They let a facility manager meet a long-standing challenge - how to easily install bollards on shallow substrates, including those that are not level or have turns. No longer do locations, such as curves on hills, the upper levels of parking structures and other unprotected locales have to rely on unsightly ‘make-do’ solutions to stop car bombers or wayward drivers. One Of The World's Most Secure “Delayed by roof issues, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium challenged us with a condensed schedule to provide one of the world’s most secure vehicle access systems,” avows Martina. “I’m proud to say that our team completed the work on time and walked away from the project with another pleased client.” This isn’t the only stadium using Delta equipment to protect staff and attendees from vehicle harm. Among many, Penn State and Purdue as well as Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco (49ers) are well-known users. Unfortunately, most procurement offices won't allow vendors to announce their purchases. This is too bad since terrorists typically won't go where they know barricades are deployed, reducing security risks dramatically. Leading universities, including six of the Associated Press (AP) top-10 rated 2018 pre-season football schools, also stayed one step ahead of terrorists and errant drivers this year on their campuses by identifying vulnerable areas and securing them within minutes with Delta MP5000 temporary, portable barriers. These mobile deployable vehicle crash barriers carry a K8 rating (M40 ASTM rating), stopping 7.5-ton vehicles traveling 40 mph. Terrorists typically don't go where they see barricades, so placing them wherever possible attacks can happen reduces security risks dramatically. Today, there is little excuse for a major stadium to suffer an attack which uses a vehicle to break through the perimeter. Whatever the weakness a terrorist thinks can be exploited, there is a type of bollard, barricade or barrier to stop him, yet let authorized people through.

A high majority of Americans (83%) are concerned about a criminal attack causing physical harm at large-scale events such as sporting events or concert festivals. More than one in five (22% of) Americans say they have canceled plans or considered cancelling plans to attend large-scale public events due to concerns about physical attacks and the safety of their data. Across the pond, three in 10 Britons think twice about attending large-scale events due to data or physical security issues. Although less than half of U.K. survey respondents have changed their plans to attend large events, some 45% are taking extra security precautions. Brits are as afraid of using public Wi-Fi at an event as of a physical criminal attack. These are some of the insights from the 2019 Unisys Security Index survey of more than 13,000 consumers in 13 countries, including 1,000 in the U.S. and another 1,000 in the United Kingdom. Currently, the U.K. index is at 147 (down from 149 in 2018), which is one of the lowest of the countries surveyed Security index scores of countries Unisys gauged attitudes on a range of security-related issues and created an index based on survey results. The index is a calculated score from zero to 300 based on concern about eight specific issues within the categories of national, financial, Internet and personal security. Currently, the U.K. index is at 147 (down from 149 in 2018), which is one of the lowest of the countries surveyed. In contrast, the U.S. index is now at 165, considered a serious level of concern and the highest among developed countries surveyed. Globally, the index average stands at 175, with the Philippines scoring highest with an index score of 234 and the Netherlands registering the lowest concern ratings with a score of 115. Concerns about misuse of information Privacy is an area where concern is growing. “This year more than half of U.K. citizens expressed concerns about the misuse of their personal information,” says Unisys’ Global Chief Security Architect, Salvatore Sinno. Another 49% expressed serious concerns that intelligence services listen in on them through electronic devices such as mobile phones or smart speakers. The summer calendar of major sporting events, concerts and festivals raises the levels of security concern The summer calendar of major sporting events, concerts and festivals raises the levels of security concern. Nick Aldworth, former National Counter Terrorism Co-Ordinator, tells the BBC that the government is not doing enough to ensure venues are secure. He supports a campaign for more rigorous checks at venues in the U.K., named Martyn’s Law, after Martyn Hett, a victim of the Manchester Arena attack in 2017. safety Pointers while attending event Salvatore Sinno of Unisys provides the following pointers on keeping safe this summer: If planning to attend a crowded event alone, let someone know. Make sure friends or family know where you are going, when you plan to arrive and when you are expected to return. Plan ahead and check local authorities’ alerts; sign up for any travel or news alerts to receive updates on traffic or news of any disturbances. As soon as you get to an event, survey your surroundings. Make sure you know where the exits are and agree on a meeting place with friends in case you should get separated from the group. Know where stewards and information points are so you can speak to someone if you need to. Be vigilant for suspicious activity at an event. Don’t be afraid to report something you think is unusual, such as unattended baggage or people behaving in a suspicious or threatening way. In an emergency, stay calm and move to the edges of crowds. Try to leave the area quickly and calmly. If you need to, follow the standard police advice of ‘Run, Hide and Tell’. Only buy event tickets from official channels or trusted websites. Update your mobile device with the latest, most secure software and avoid unsecured Wi-Fi networks; keep your phone charged and take along a battery charger pack. Don’t make electronic transactions at unofficial event vendors; be careful with contactless cards or making mobile transactions. “Whether it’s your physical security or the security of your data, you can take precautions around major events so you do not make it easy for criminals to take advantage,” says Sinno.

Krowd is an app that connects people together based on geography; that is, if they are at the same place at the same time. Users sign into the app using the local WiFi, identify themselves by username, and are placed immediately in a group chat comprising anyone else at the location who has signed into the app. An enhancement of the Krowd app, known as Krowdsafe, leverages the technology to achieve and promote security and safety. Specifically, Krowdsafe enables users to interact directly with security personnel at a public place to report any crimes or security infractions and to enable rapid response. Think of it as “crowdsourcing” security – the app provides more eyes and ears to keep a venue safer. In effect, it enables each of its users to be an extension of the security presence at a venue or event. Krowdsafe improves crowd resilience. “Crowdsourcing” security – the app provides more eyes and ears to keep a venue safer  Krowdsafe security app Krowdsafe also opens a channel of communication for the security team to provide ad-hoc security information reminders or messages. Krowdsafe can be used at a variety of venues, including stadiums, transport hubs, office blocks, retail malls, college campus and major events organizers. The app does not access identities, violate privacy, or track the movements of users. Other app users only know the information fellow users disclose. Still, group chats, one-on-one engagement, and other social media interactions can ensue, whether about a favorite soccer team or the excitement of a rock concert. The system fosters digital engagement that centers around a physical space. Krowdsafe applies those capabilities to promoting better security. Enhancing crowd safety and management The elements of Krowdsafe beat out 67 competitors to win the Defense & Security Accelerator Competition to Innovate Crowd Safety, launched by the UK Home office after terror events in 2017. Key areas of interest in the competition were to improve the detection of threats from explosives and weapons within a range of crowded places with high footfall and so reduce the chance of future attacks. Krowdsafe provides a prioritized, readily accessible and simple way for members of a crowd to communicate with a security team charged with keeping them safe. The £250,000 government award has helped the product move forward commercially at a faster pace. Krowdsafe app does not access identities, violate privacy, or track the movements of users Krowdsafe users can tap a red button, prominent on the Krowd app, that says “Report.” They may then choose from a listing of common threat types – from suspicious activity or unattended activity to medical emergency or fire services. The list is configurable by venue and corresponds to any specific threat models. The list corresponds to the nature of any situation security wants to address, such as “anti-social behavior” at a soccer game. Users in the crowd can anonymously report racist chanting, for example. In a children’s sporting event, the app can be used to facilitate lost-and-found children. If a child gets lost, a user can share a photo with the security team, who can alert the “public” (other Krowdsafe users) and find the child within minutes or seconds. Encrypted identifier code A user taps the “Report” button, selects an issue, and an alert goes directly to the security team A user taps the “Report” button, selects an issue, and an alert goes directly to the security team, who can respond because they have the encrypted identifier code from which the message came. For that point, the security team communicates one-on-one with the user, who can then choose to share their current location with the security team to facilitate response. (The “legitimate interest” of knowing the location negates any privacy concerns.) Once location is enabled, the security team can follow the precise positioning of threats on a map, using GPS and other technologies, or even on a three-dimensional digital map of a multi-story building. Another security benefit of Krowdsafe is prevention. Event organizers and venue managers can promote the use of Krowdsafe on posters or in announcements throughout the venue. Additional eyes and ears are the equivalent of CCTV coverage on every inch of a venue and use of the system makes the environment more hostile to mischievous, malicious and/or terrorist activity. In effect, bad guys will go somewhere else. Enhancement to Krowd app Krowdsafe is an enhancement to the Krowd app, which has been around for a couple of years and is available in app stores for iOS and Android. The app approximates in the digital world the experience of being a stranger in the crowd in the real world. Users can join a conversation based on their username, and then disclose to the crowd whatever they wish (or not). Event managers/organizers can promote hashtags to help identify others in the crowd (such as #ManUnited to identify fans of the same soccer team). In general, users can identify themselves (voluntarily) according to common interests using hashtags.  “Krowd is a group chat that connects people together at the same place at the same time in a group, but without anyone having to disclose personal information,” says Geoff Revill, Managing Director, Krowdthink Ltd. “You have a digital presence in the same place with other people at the same time.” Wireless connectivity Users connect initially into the system through WiFi, access to which serves to approximate presence at a venue Users connect initially into the system through WiFi, access to which serves to approximate presence at a venue. Once someone signs in, information about them is merely a grouping of “hash” numbers, which are used to identify them as they communicate with others in the location. However, the “hashing” cannot be hacked to find a user’s location, thus ensuring greater privacy. Because Krowd does not collect personal data (which is a revenue source for most social media companies), the company generates revenue by providing the service to venue owners who wish to interact with and manage a crowd. Data security Location data is considered sensitive under General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and tracking locations can help to identify where someone lives, works, who they associate with, etc. By not tracking location, Krowd avoids the related privacy issues. After initially signing in on WiFi, Krowd communications can also use 2G, 3G and other cellular networks in addition to WiFi. Addressing privacy concerns is essential to encouraging involvement in the Krowd app, and in Krowdsafe. “If you want people to participate in keeping the crowd safe, you have to get their trust and respect them, that’s a building block behind the behavioral science,” says Revill. By not tracking location, Krowd avoids the related privacy issues Privacy protection Because Krowd users remain anonymous (except for the information they choose to share), user data is not collected (and/or sold or used for future marketing purposes). Krowd’s paying customers are event venues and public places that provide the Krowd service and can promote their commercial messages or provide other information to their populations while on site. Krowdsafe can provide immediate security benefits to a venue. Even if only 25 staff members use the app in a given location, for example, that’s 25 more sets of eyes and ears to help the security department. In a retail mall, if the staffs of 200 tenant businesses use the app, that’s another 500 or so people watching out for security. Among the general public, use of the app can be promoted in customer newsletters, or by posting group discussions on big screens around a venue. Wide marketing scope It enables members of a crowd to report any broken doors, water leaks or blocked toilets Security is a secondary benefit for some Krowd users, who are drawn to the app because of marketing opportunities, such as the ability to provide discounts or promotional offers to customers while they are on site. The app also encourages social media interaction, while maintaining the venue’s ability to “manage” the crowd by moderating any discussions. The Krowd app also provides management benefits to a venue. For example, it enables members of a crowd to report any broken doors, water leaks or blocked toilets. In general, the app helps to promote a better brand experience for the customer. Incident management One of the UK government’s concerns about Krowdsafe was its possible use by terrorists or other to cause incidents in a public venue. Think of the case of Olly Murs, a U.K. singer, whose mistaken tweets about hearing gunshots caused a brief panic at a department store on a busy shopping day. Might Krowd be uses similarly by a terrorist or other evil-doer to cause chaos or a distraction? No, says Revill, who points to a higher level of control over content exchanged in Krowd versus Twitter, for example. The security team can censor content or limit its propagation. They can also disable or block a user from communicating on the app. Messages containing dangerous or troubling content, such as racist terms, can trigger alerts to enable security teams to respond quickly.

Facial recognition has seen huge breakthroughs since the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) first began testing in 2010. Accuracy has seen massive gains, especially from 2013-2018. In the 2018 test, the most accurate algorithm was 20 times more accurate than the 2013 equivalent. Essentially, 95 percent of the matches that failed in 2013 now yield correct results. Compare that to 2010-2013, when the most accurate algorithm reduced its error rate by 30 percent. This reduction in error rates since 2013 is due to wholesale replacement of the old algorithms with new ones based on deep convolutional neural networks — completely revolutionizing the technology. Optimal recognition results SAFR says it delivers optimal recognition results with 99.86 percent accuracy in under 100 milliseconds One entrant in the newly energized market is RealNetworks, whose SAFR for Security is an AI-based facial recognition solution for live video that integrates video management system (VMS) solutions. With 24/7 monitoring, SAFR detects and matches millions of faces accurately in real time, enabling teams to manage a watchlist across any number of video feeds. SAFR says it delivers optimal recognition results with 99.86 percent accuracy in under 100 milliseconds, even in real-world conditions where faces are in motion, at different angles, under poor lighting, or partially obscured. SAFR builds on RealNetworks’ 23-year history in video technologies. Launched in July 2018, SAFR — secure, accurate facial recognition — is enabling new applications for security, convenience, and analytics. Create security responses “We seek to be the world’s most trusted facial recognition platform and are delighted to partner with customers in the security industry and elsewhere to shape a more secure, convenient future worldwide,” says Dan Grimm, Vice President of Computer Vision and General Manager of SAFR at RealNetworks. “Security professionals are asked to keep us safe 24/7, monitoring a burgeoning number of cameras, and we help make them more effective.” SAFR targets facial recognition for live video, identifying camera-unaware faces moving in real-world conditions. In the April 2019 NIST results, SAFR tested as the fastest and most compact solution among algorithms with less than 0.022 False Non-Match Rate — 62 percent faster than the average speed, according to the company. SAFR now provides capabilities such as live video overlays alerting security professionals to events in real time, automatic bookmarks with rich metadata for investigative work, and alerts that can be customized to create security responses. SAFR uses one-sixth the compute power of competing facial recognition solutions Facial recognition algorithms Five years ago, facial recognition algorithms would struggle to match forward-facing people from still images, let alone camera-unaware moving faces from live video with variations in rotation and tilt. SAFR says they have achieved a balance of accuracy and performance for live video. A contributor to this accuracy is consistency across a range of skin tones. The algorithm was trained on a highly diverse global set of over 10 million non-simulated real-world faces. SAFR was optimized for speed and can sample a face multiple times during the same period of time as other algorithms, subsequently increasing its accuracy. SAFR achieves the performance through edge processing. Distributed architecture enables efficient bandwidth consumption, reducing the roundtrip latency of facial recognition speed to under 100 milliseconds. The savings lower total cost of ownership (TCO): SAFR uses one-sixth the compute power of competing facial recognition solutions, equating to $500,000 or so in savings on a 250-camera deployment. Integrated experience SAFR also uses off-the-shelf hardware and is optimized to leverage inexpensive GPUs SAFR also uses off-the-shelf hardware and is optimized to leverage inexpensive GPUs. SAFR can be deployed on premises or in the cloud, and supports Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android. When SAFR is paired with a VMS, such as Milestone XProtect or Genetec Security Center, the integrated experience includes 24/7 monitoring to detect and match faces in real-time. Features include live video overlays within the VMS to identify strangers, threats, concerns, unrecognized persons, VIPs, employees, or other tagged individuals in live video. Real-time alerts can be customized for when persons of interest appear on a video camera feed. Additionally, automatic bookmarks with rich metadata make for easier investigative review of security footage. Facial recognition technology is increasingly in demand to improve safety across various industry verticals. Better customer experience Large enterprises with high-visitor flows and heightened security — such as transportation hubs, stadiums, universities, and hospitals — need to know in real time when persons of interest or those on watchlists appear on camera. Sports stadiums could apply facial recognition to deny entry to banned patrons, locate lost children, or recognize VIPs to deliver a better customer experience. Hospitals need access control to restricted areas and pharmaceutical storage closets Hospitals need access control to restricted areas and pharmaceutical storage closets. Airports and transit centers value traffic flows, demographic composition, and dwell times to help improve scheduling. SAFR for Security is available worldwide, and the company partners with VMS providers such as Milestone, Genetec, Digifort, and IPConfigure by Paliton Networks. They are actively working to support additional VMS solutions and have sales teams located in major metropolitan cities around the world. Security professionals “The job of the security professional is critical in today’s world,” says Grimm. “SAFR for Security helps mitigate the challenges of the important work security professionals do to keep us all safe.” In designing and developing SAFR, RealNetworks considered diversity and the uniqueness of each person; Grimm says their massive global training data set is a competitive advantage. SAFR is designed with privacy in mind. All facial images and signatures are AES-256 encrypted in transit or at rest. “SAFR is powerful enterprise-grade software that is continuously improving through innovation and many years of expertise,” says Grimm.

BBVA Compass Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium located in Houston, Texas, USA and home to the Houston Dynamo, Major League Soccer club (part of MLS in USA). It also is home to the Houston Dash of the National Women’s Soccer League and to Texas Southern University Tiger football. It is also going through a major retrofit with its security systems to include a best of breed, open architecture solution. The stadium first opened in 2012, but six years later, Cultris Security Systems of Houston is back upgrading and expanding the current security installation. After spending five years with another security provider, the Dynamo and Dash, who maintains the facility, opted for a completely new solution. Axis cameras integrated with Salient Systems VMS Along with their current Panasonic cameras, stadium officials opted for Axis Communications cameras Along with their current Panasonic cameras, stadium officials opted for Axis Communications cameras. Both camera manufacturers play well with Salient Systems VMS. The result was an image resolution much more enhanced than they had been experiencing. “With all of this equipment brought together, we found it to be easy to use, user-friendly, and supported a very complimentary search function,” said Paul Fisher, Director of Key Accounts at Salient Systems, adding “For those people hired as facility guards, and with a sometime frequent turnover in staff, new people were able to use the Salient software right away and were able to do their job guarding the facility more quickly.” Paul further stated, “An installation like this is a great reference for us, and it is a very exciting security installation. Although there are fewer than 100 cameras, the placement and location of the cameras will allow security to monitor the sometimes over-zealous fans, and with BBVA Compass Stadium officials installing our synopsis video tool, stadium officials will be able to key-map the entire facility, gain analytical data and improve the customer experience.” CompleteView VMS platform Salient also partners with Dell, taking its CompleteView VMS platform into the booming Internet of Things market. The CompleteView VMS’ ability to quickly render and manage video surveillance over a WAN or LAN makes it a compelling offering for solution providers looking to gain a foothold in IoT. The manner through which the video is processed is very efficient, and can render the video and perform forensics on the video rapidly. As more businesses look to video surveillance as an IoT application, the CompleteView VMS platform can be integrated with other software packages will enable partners to work with customers to solve specific problems through big data and analytics capabilities. DSX software installed for secure access control BBVA Compass Stadium officials also switched out the outdated access control software and installed DSX software to complete the upgrade. “We have long known that DSX is a workhorse software solution,” said Jason Smith, President of Cultris Security Systems Inc., adding “It is easy to use and a lower cost to use. These upgrades are exciting for us to be part of because the installation will come in several phases, with the integration supported for years to come.” Open architecture security solutions Cultris technicians almost had a blank canvas to begin their security installation Jason adds, “We also found working with BBVA Compass Stadium staff very easy because they were receptive to open architecture security solutions. Phase Two will begin in 2019, and we’re excited to design the next layer of security at the stadium.” Cultris technicians almost had a blank canvas to begin their security installation. The facility itself is an open architecture facility, so facility managers were very receptive when plans were drawn up for security equipment. Much of the focus was on the stadium concourses, where the bulk of the soccer fans’ traffic is found during a match. 360-degree cameras installed The new master plan now included 360-degree cameras along the concourse, which offered coverage in every direction. The same 360-degree cameras were also placed near the locker rooms, loading docks and service areas. PTZ and fixed lens cameras were upgraded and placed in each corner of the facility where there is a gate for entrance and exit. As imagined, soccer fans are very passionate about their sport and teams, so cameras on the concourse were placed in a planned manner for the guarding staff to be able to know and react quickly if or when a fight broke out among spectators. The 360-degree cameras also enable the security staff to mobilize and reach the incident spot, where they would be required, as quickly as possible. 4K PTZ cameras Stadium security staff is able to view cameras placed in an adjacent parking area Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium has a capacity of 22,039 seats, including 34 private suites, 1,100 club seats, an indoor premium club area, a dedicated supporters/fans stand and a food court. The stadium is designed to accommodate Major League Soccer (MLS) and FIFA standard international soccer, as well as other sports including football, lacrosse, and rugby and live concerts. Stadium security staff is able to view cameras placed in an adjacent parking area, as well as city security cameras (live view only) in order to ensure the safety and security of people coming to the venue and leaving after the match. These cameras have a 4K PTZ quick drive function, which helps establish a clear view of events, if additional security help is needed. As an integrator, Cultris Security has clearly installed a solution that will work properly for BBVA Compass Stadium, and their tenants, who are always looking to strike a goal.

Synectics has secured a competitive public space contract to provide integrated surveillance solutions for a number of prestigious sites across London, the UK's capital. Comprising government properties, heritage sites, and high-profile public event venues, the contract builds on Synectics' reputation as the surveillance solution of choice for London's public space protection. The successful award can also be attributed to the company's ability to deliver tailored, open-architecture solutions incorporating integration to third-party systems such as access control and intruder detection. Control software platform Synectics, which supports more than 70% of London's boroughs, as well as major retail stores and stadiums across the city, will upgrade all sites to its Synergy 3 command and control software platform. Each of these sites falls under our specialism in public space" While the specific locations cannot be named, the sites include listed buildings, high-security 'closed-to-public' assets, and venues with high levels of public footfall. Martin Bonfield, UK Sales Manager, at Synectics commented: "Each of these sites falls under our specializm in public space, but individually they each have unique requirements. That plays to our strengths in terms of the flexible technologies we offer and the broader sector experience we hold, from gaming and critical national infrastructure to city surveillance, retail, and public transport.” Superior incident management "These credentials illustrate our capability at developing and deploying surveillance solutions for projects that must balance high levels of public access with stringent security conventions and superior incident management. Our professional services team is also highly skilled at migrating systems under live operating conditions, which was a specification of the comprehensive brief." "One of the locations included in this tender process was an existing Synectics site operating a legacy Synergy product. The trust in our Synergy solution by the customer meant that satisfaction with the system reliability and user experience was high." Multi-Site monitoring The Synergy 3 solution deployed at each site will enable the control room teams to monitor existing cameras The Synergy 3 solution deployed at each site will enable the control room teams to monitor existing cameras — totaling around 500 across the sites — alongside integrated third-party systems such as access control and intruder detection. Linking all locations for eventual multi-site monitoring was a crucial component of the project brief, ensuring the sites continue to support future needs and incorporate the latest camera technology and system features as required. Martin explained: "Synergy 3's power and scalability in terms of integrations and future system consolidation presented a powerful proposition to our customers, combined with our wider London portfolio of projects, partnerships, and supporting closer collaboration with the Metropolitan Police."

Danish Superliga Soccer Club Brøndby IF has enhanced fan safety by using Panasonic security solutions to prevent banned soccer hooligans from entering the stadium, while maintaining visitor privacy and complying with European Union General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Installing Panasonic’s FacePRO facial recognition system at the entrances to the stadium has helped to more effectively identify those on the banned list. The club had been aware that family attendance had fallen at some of the more high-profile games, such as the local derby with F.C. Copenhagen, due to concerns over hooliganism, illegal use of flares and safety. Family-friendly stadium With an average attendance of 14,000 people per game, and up to 100 registered persons on the stadium blacklist for causing trouble, the soccer club wanted to find a way to make genuine fans feel even safer at the family-friendly stadium by preventing any problems before they could occur. Up until this point, lists of banned people were distributed to security staff at the entrance gates. They would manually check each person coming into the stadium but the process was time consuming and not always effective. With the use of Panasonic’s security solution, blacklisted offenders can now be automatically identified in the crowd before they attempt to enter the stadium. System operators in the surveillance room double check matches made by the system before sending notification to the stewards at the gates to prevent them from entering. Panasonic FacePro solution Brøndby IF sought approval on its approach to GDPR compliance from the Danish Data Protection Agency The automated procedure at the stadium entrance also decreases congestion at the gates, so genuine fans can get into the stadium faster. As well as improving security outside, the system allows staff more time to focus their attention on creating a safe and entertaining environment for those inside the stadium. Another issue important to address in the implementation was compliance with European Union GDPR. The Panasonic FacePro solution is very flexible and can be configured to delete or store data as required. To meet Brøndby IF’s requirements, data from the camera is encrypted and the data and images of people not on the blacklist are never stored. In addition, the details of banned individuals are encrypted and only stored on a server blocked from the Internet and all other external systems. Brøndby IF sought permission and approval on its approach to GDPR compliance from the Danish Data Protection Agency. Facial recognition system Mickel Lauritsen, Head of Security at Brøndby IF, said: “We can see that we have decreased the amount of flares being used within the stadium during our matches. It has been a success and it’s an absolutely vital tool in order to maintain safety and security.” Gerard Figols, Head of the European security business at Panasonic, commented: “Panasonic’s facial recognition system contributes to a safer stadium environment by alleviating security pressure on the ground, while ensuring that all data is protected from unauthorized external access." "The accuracy and processing capacity of Panasonic FacePRO means that it is ideal for soccer, and other sporting stadiums around the world, as well as many other venues where security and high visitor numbers are a factor. Besides the pure security factor, our facial recognition system can also help to enhance the customer experience by providing quicker, more streamlined access or tailored services.”

The combination of design, comfort, security, access and services offered by San Mamés stadium, the home stadium of Spain’s the Athletic Club in Bilbao has led the UEFA to classify it as an elite stadium, the highest classification that enables the building to host major national and international football events. In fact, the stadium has been chosen to host the Euro Cup 2020 in Spain. The Stadium of Athletic Bilbao is already a reference point in the football world. With a capacity of 53.332 people, 3.000 premium and VIP seats, and a built-up area of 116.760 square meters, the new San Mamés stadium is more than just a sports location. It is a space with multiple complementary uses: it has a museum, a shopping area, restaurant, cafeteria, event rooms, meeting and conference rooms. MEET IP video door entry system For Fermax, this project demonstrates the high capacities of MEET IP video door entry system For Fermax, this project demonstrates the high capacities of MEET IP video door entry system, which can be integrated into large commercial security projects. The project has 11 single-line MILO panels (ref. 9533) in the stadium's underground accesses, to facilitate access for suppliers, sponsors. All the MILO panels connect to the MEET concierge (ref. 9539) located at the stadium's security control point. The installation of the Fermax product began from end of 2019. San Mamés Stadium has been designed and built in a Design and Construction Management contract format, with the involvement of IDOM, an independent professional services company since the first stages of the project, which continues to evolve. Fermax's MEET IP technology The location of the stadium, overlooking the Bilbao Estuary, makes this infrastructure a unique architectural piece that stands out in the city, integrating itself into the surroundings and giving added value to the area. The incorporation of state-of-the-art technological equipment, such as large windows with LED technology, EFTE panels that make up the stadium's façade or IP video door entry and access control systems such as Fermax's MEET IP technology, have given answer to the club's needs. Since the beginning of the construction, the new stadium’s project has received several awards, including the WAF Award at the 2015 World Architecture Festival in Singapore, the Stadium of the Year Award at the 2015 World Stadium Congress Awards in Qatar, and the first prize in the Long Span Structures category of the 2017 Structural Award, among other prizes.

Patriot One, developer of the PATSCAN Multi-Sensor Covert Threat Detection platform, is pleased to announce a collaboration partnership with Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), part of Major League Soccer (MLS), to pilot its PATSCAN platform at Banc of California Stadium. Threat and intrusion detection “We are excited to announce this PATSCAN pilot deployment project with another U.S. major sport franchise,” said Martin Cronin, Patriot One CEO and president, adding “In the New Year, our installation team will begin work with the Los Angeles Football Club and Banc of California Stadium on this important game safety initiative. MLS fans will enjoy an added layer of security while attending their favorite team’s home games in Southern California”. Martin further said, “Our vision is to not only to create a world safe from acts of violence, but also to help save a way of life people have come to expect in their normal everyday lives, and that includes participating in professional sports and entertainment activities with their fellow fans.” PATSCAN Multi-Sensor Covert Threat Detection The PATSCAN Multi-Sensor Covert Threat Detection platform will ship in January 2020 to the security team at LAFC The PATSCAN Multi-Sensor Covert Threat Detection platform will ship in January 2020 to the security team at Los Angeles Football Club, where they will be joined by Banc of California Stadium security and Patriot One implementation engineers to begin the integration and pilot deployment project.  Specific location of the Platform’s deployment will not be disclosed. “Customer safety is our number one priority at Banc of California Stadium,” said LAFC Vice President of Information Technology Christian Lau. “We are excited to work with Patriot One to give customers an extra layer of security while attending events at our world-class venue in the heart of Los Angeles.” Stadium security Following the initial pilot deployment of the PATSCAN platform with LAFC at an undisclosed location within Banc of California Stadium, Patriot One will work with the team and stadium management to broaden deployment throughout the complex.

The Danish Superliga football club Brøndby IF were aware that family attendance had fallen at some of the more high-profile games, such as the local derby with F.C. Copenhagen, due to concerns over hooliganism and safety. With an average attendance of 14,000 people per game, and up to 100 registered persons on the stadium blacklist for causing trouble, the football club wanted to find a way to make genuine fans feel safer by preventing problems before they could occur. Improving security With the use of cameras and facial recognition, blacklisted offenders can now be automatically identified in the crowd before they attempt to enter the stadium. This system identifies any individuals registered on the offenders list and alerts security staff to prevent them from entering. The automated procedure at the stadium entrance also decreases congestion at the gates, so genuine fans can get into the stadium faster. As well as improving security outside, the system allows staff more time to focus their attention on creating a safe and entertaining environment for those inside the stadium. The technology can identify faces that are difficult to recognise with conventional techniques Facial recognition server The Panasonic facial recognition software ensures high levels of accuracy. The technology can identify faces that are difficult to recognize with conventional techniques, such as those taken from an acute angle and even when part of the face is concealed or hidden by sunglasses or scarves. In fact, the National Institute of Standards of Technology (NIST) in independent testing identified the system as the most accurate facial recognition server on the market. And the system is already working. One blacklisted offender was prevented from entering the stadium at the very first home game of the season in mid-July and he will receive a fine and extended ban. Protection of personal data However, some fans were initially sceptical about the scheme. They were worried about the Big Brother concerns of privacy and personal data protection. These fears quickly faded once the club explained the sensitive way that the scheme had been implemented. Security personnel remain in control of the process at every stage. The technology flags potential blacklisted offenders and the security advisers then take over and investigate further before taking action. People-led and technology supported The solution is people-led and technology supported. Personal data privacy is also protected because the facial recognition technology does not store the images or data of any supporters, other than those registered on the blacklist. In addition, all personal data is stored on an internal server, not connected to the internet or to any other system, significantly reducing any cyber risk of data breach. After seeing the results of the technology and receiving reassurances about data protection, both Brøndby management and fans alike have welcomed the new technology. Moving forward there is also the potential to utilize a national hooligan register with the system to help spot traveling troublemakers within Denmark.

When security topics become a part of current events, it is usually in a negative light. Security generally only becomes news when it fails, sometimes in a dramatic, high profile and tragic way. However, security failures can also shed light on lessons learned and opportunities to improve. Working toward better security can translate into the purchase of more goods and equipment supplied by our market. For additional insights into the intersection of security and current events, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Good news or bad news? How do news reports and/or current events influence the general public’s opinion of physical security?

The new year 2019 is brimming with possibilities for the physical security industry, but will those possibilities prove to be good news or bad news for our market? Inevitably, it will be a combination of good and bad, but how much good and how bad? We wanted to check the temperature of the industry as it relates to expectations for the new year, so we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How optimistic is your outlook for the physical security industry in 2019? Why?

Hospitality businesses work to provide a safe and pleasant customer experience for their guests. Hotels offer a “home away from home” for millions of guests every day around the world. These are businesses of many sizes and types, providing services ranging from luxury accommodations to simple lodging for business travelers to family vacation experiences. Hospitality businesses also include restaurants, bars, movie theaters and other venues. Security needs are varied and require technologies that span a wide spectrum. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the security challenges of the hospitality market?